cancer awareness Archives

Posted on: November 30, 2024

Is Heel Pain a Sign of Cancer?

Heel Pain

You might have experienced heel pain at some point in your life. Isn’t? In most cases, it’s due to conditions like plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, or even a simple strain. But what if the pain is continuous, unexplained, and doesn’t improve with rest? Could heel pain be a sign of something more serious, like cancer? Let’s understand this in detail in this article.

Common Causes of Heel Pain

Not all types of pain lead to cancer. You should understand that most heel pain is not related to cancer, but there can be other common causes. Don’t forget to look at these causes before jumping to conclusions.

Plantar Fasciitis: This is a condition of inflammation of the plantar fascia. Under this condition, the tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot is one of the leading causes of heel pain.
Achilles Tendonitis: It happens due to the overuse or strain of the Achilles tendon. It can cause pain in the back of the heel.
Heel Spurs: Bony growths on the heel bone often develop due to repetitive strain and can cause discomfort. They are called heel spurs.
Stress Fractures: Overuse or repetitive impact can lead to small cracks in the heel bone which are known as stress fractures. Obviously, they cause pain.
Bursitis: Inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs (bursae) in the heel can also result in pain. The condition is commonly called Bursitis.

Can Heel Pain Be a Sign of Cancer?

Pain is usually linked to common conditions like plantar societies or tendinitis. However, it can be a symptom of cancer in rare cases. Here are some cancers that might cause heel pain.

Osteosarcoma:

This is an aggressive type of bone cancer that can sometimes develop in the heel bone. Note that the heel bone is also known as the calcaneus. It can occur at any age. However, it is more common in children and young adults.

Patients can feel symptoms like persistent heel pain that does not improve with rest, swelling around the heel, or low mobility. As the tumor grows, it can weaken the bone and make heel pain worse.

Ewing’s Sarcoma:

Ewing’s Sarcoma is another rare bone cancer that can affect the heal, especially in children and young adults. The symptoms are the same as those of osteosarcoma, like severe heel pain, swelling, tenderness, and difficulty walking. Besides, this cancer can also cause fever, fatigue, and weight loss.

Chondrosarcoma:

This cancer develops in cartilage cells. Moreover, it is most commonly found in areas like the pelvis and thigh bone. However, it can also affect the heel. Patients dealing with Chondrosarcoma can feel constant pain and swelling in the healed, a noticeable lump or difficulty bearing weight on the foot.

Synovial Sarcoma:

This is a rare cancer type that arises in the soft tissues near joints, such as the ankle or heel area. It often causes sharp pain in the hall or angle, swelling or tenderness near the joint along with a small butt formula lump. This lump can grow over time. Note that this cancer is more common in young adults and can be challenging to diagnose in the initial stages.

Metastatic Cancer:

Heel pain can also be a symptom of metastatic cancer. This cancer occurs due to spreading of cancer from one part of the body to the other parts. The cancers that can lead to metastatic cancers after spreading are mentioned below.

Breast cancer
Lung cancer
Prostate cancer
Kidney cancer

When is the Right Time to See a Doctor?

You need not to visit a doctor every time you feel pain. However, there are certain warning signs that you should not ignore. You must visit our healthcare provider if you experience these symptoms.

Pain that continues for weeks, despite rest or treatment.
Swelling or a noticeable lump near the heel
Unexpected symptoms like fever, fatigue, or weight loss.
Pain that worsens at night or disrupts sleep.

How to Prevent and Manage Heel Pain

Even if your heel pain isn’t related to cancer, it’s important to take steps to prevent and manage it. Here is how you can do so.

Always wear supportive shoes to reduce strain on your heels.
You should stretch your calves and plantar fascia to prevent tightness.
You must rest your feet and apply ice to reduce inflammation.
Extra weight can increase pressure on your heels so try to maintain healthy weight.

Conclusion

Heel pain is usually linked to common issues like plantar fasciitis. However, it could point to something more serious like cancer in rare cases. Indeed, it can be tricky for doctors to identify these rare cases in the early stages but it is so important. If your heel pain doesn’t go away or keeps getting worse, you should not ignore it. You must visit a doctor immediately. Note that early action can make all the difference in getting the right treatment and improving your health!

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Posted on: April 23, 2023April 23, 2023

Advance Liver Cancer Treatment

Research for Liver Cancer Treatment

A variety of variables will determine your liver cancer treatment plan. Your overall health, what kind of liver cancer you possess, and whether the disease has spread are a few of these.

Your doctor might suggest a range of therapies, including:

Chemotherapy
Targeted treatment
Immunotherapy
Radiation treatment
Ablative treatment
Embolism treatment
Surgery

In order to increase the lifespan and standard of life for patients with liver cancer, researchers are constantly creating and evaluating novel treatment modalities.

Here are some of the most significant recent advancements in research and treatment for liver cancer.

New Medicine Combinations

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a prevalent form of liver cancer, has been given FDA approval for a new drug combination.

The FDA specifically approved the use of Atezolizumab and Bevacizumab in combination for the treatment of HCC that has grown or cannot be treated surgically.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as Atezolizumab, are a subset of immunotherapy. It aids the immune system in locating and eliminating cancer cells.

Bevacizumab is an example of a targeted medicine that works to prevent tumors from forming new blood vessels. The tumors may lessen as a result.

According to research, the treatment of advanced HCC with Atezolizumab and Bevacizumab was superior to sorafenib alone.

Sorafenib is an additional form of the specific treatment that prevents tumor blood vessel formation. Other drug combinations for liver cancer are being researched by experts.

The FDA, for instance, recently approved the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab for the treatment of advanced HCC in patients who had previously taken sorafenib.

Checkpoint inhibitors like nivolumab and ipilimumab help direct the immune system’s response to cancer in the body.

An Innovative Method of Ablation

Tumors are eliminated using a process called ablation. It is typically used to treat tiny liver tumors that are difficult to remove with surgery.

Ablation can take various different forms:

In order to heat and eliminate tumors, high-energy waves are used in radiation therapy and microwave radiation therapy.
In cryoablation, cancer cells are frozen and killed using cold gases.
To eliminate cancer cells, ethanol ablation involves injecting concentrated alcohol into tumors.
The use of irreversible electroporation to treat liver cancer is currently being researched. It kills cancer cells by forcing open their pores with high-voltage electricity.

According to a review of studies, persistent electroporation may prove more efficient than alternative ablation procedures for treating small, very early-stage liver cancer tumors that are situated in difficult-to-treat regions.

For the treatment of liver cancer, researchers have also started combining more traditional ablation methods with additional medicines.

In research on mice, Radiofrequency ablation and the targeted medication sunitinib worked better together than Radiofrequency ablation or Sunitinib did by themselves.

Possible Radiation Prevention Method

High-energy particles are used in radiation therapy to destroy cancer cells. In patients whose livers have been harmed by illnesses like cirrhosis or hepatitis, it may be utilized for the treatment of liver tumors that surgery is unable to eliminate.

For the treatment of liver cancer, radiation therapy is a useful therapy.

Specific Medicine

Researchers are trying to identify which patients will benefit from various forms of therapy for liver cancer in addition to creating new cancer medicines and therapeutic combinations.

It is known as a specific medicine. The objective is to design methods of therapy that are unique to each patient’s particular tumor type.

In order to forecast how tumors would respond to various therapies, precision medicine involves locating specific genes or chemicals in tumors.

Conclusion

Recently, new drug combinations for the treatment of liver cancer received approval. Researchers are also investigating additional treatments for this condition, including procedures, medicines, and combination therapies.

Your healthcare professional can assist you in learning about the potential advantages and disadvantages of various therapeutic modalities, including recently developed treatments.

You can be encouraged to participate in a clinical trial by your healthcare practitioner if they believe you would benefit from getting a presently being tested experimental treatment.